


It Took Her by Surprise

by EerieBarbarian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-War, Arguing, Dinner Party, F/M, I have no idea where this is going, Post-War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:34:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23124073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EerieBarbarian/pseuds/EerieBarbarian
Summary: Post-war AU where Hermione opens a shop in Diagon Alley selling used school supplies and books. She's leaving work for the day and runs into Blaise Zabini. They have a heated discussion before going to Harry's for dinner.Honestly, I have no idea where this is going. You can take my hand and come along for the ride if you'd like. I have plenty of space on this ship.
Relationships: Background Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy - Relationship, Hermione Granger/Blaise Zabini, background Ron Weasley/Pansy Parkinson
Comments: 15
Kudos: 28
Collections: TDP Random Prompt Challenge March 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Envyskitty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Envyskitty/gifts).



> As we all know, I do not own these characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely created the situation.

Hermione stepped out of the used bookstore. She checked the handle to ensure that it was locked the muggle way before tapping her wand to secure the magical wards of her little shop. It had taken her a while to get up and running, but she was proud of it. Now she might have to expand just to fit all the donations she had received.   
The idea had come to her after spending so much time with the Weasley’s. She had watched them work hard and save to get all their children’s school supplies. They never complained, but as they’d all gotten older they began better understand how expensive their school supplies were. Hermione had decided that she’d do something about it one day and so she had.   
She had started with reaching out to her former classmates to see about purchasing their old books. Most had sent them freely to clear up space. Now she had so many that she was struggling to find space for them all. She even had a section for used, but well cared for, cauldrons, quills, scales, and other school supplies.   
She took a step back, smiling as she looked up at her little sign. G.A.B. in large lettering with Granger’s Affordable Books printed smaller below it. Ron had laughed and said, “At least it’s better than S.P.E.W.” But she was proud of it. She didn’t care what Ron thought. It was practical.   
She stepped carefully as she headed away from her shop, avoiding a few puddles from the light rain that had fallen. With her head down, she didn’t see the tall figure stepping out of Madame Malkin’s. She walked face first into a broad chest, strong arms wrapped around her shoulders to keep her from falling. “Are you alright, Granger?” a cool, deep voice sounded above her head.   
She took a step back, looking up at the man she had run into. “Yes,” she smiled at the familiar face. “Thank you, Blaise. I’m fine.”   
“Are you heading home or to Harry’s for dinner?” he asked casually before she could turn to continue on her way.   
“I had planned to go home to freshen up first, then I’m headed to Harry’s,” she answered politely. She liked Blaise well enough. He was a bit conceited, in her opinion, but he was intelligent and nice to her. She was honestly surprised at how well they all got on together when Harry had started dating Draco. Ron was sulky at first, but now he had extra chess opponents and Pansy to fuss over him in a way Hermione never would have.   
“If you don’t mind the company, perhaps I could walk you home and escort you to the dinner?” Blaise asked casually. She looked up at him, her face suspicious. She walked by the robe shop everyday and he’d never asked to walk with her. He had owned it since Madame Malkin retired around a year ago. He chuckled under her scrutiny. “I made the mistake of taking Ollivander’s grandson out to dinner. He was a complete bore and terrible at kissing. I’m hoping that if I’m not alone, he won’t come out to talk to me when I walk by the wand shop.”   
She huffed out a laugh, “I can’t believe you. That’s deplorable.” Putting her hand on her hip with one finger waving in indignation in Blaise’s face, she said sharply, “People aren’t expendable, Blaise Zabini!” She paced a few steps in front of him. “You can’t just go around playing with people’s feelings. What if he actually liked you? Do you really want to keep being that guy?” She stopped her pacing to look up into his face. “Do you even know what it’s like to genuinely like someone and you think they like you, but then they just never talk to you again? Or worse, they talk to you and it’s as if you didn’t even matter to them?” She looked down at the cobblestones in the street before looking back at Blaise. “Have you ever even legitimately cared for anyone?”  
Blaise, to his credit, looked chagrined. He shrugged as he looked at Hermione, trying to think of what to say. “I don’t let anyone get that close.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I saw how destroyed my friends were when they had their hearts broken. I saw my mother drink and try to pretend that she wasn’t hurt when I know that she was. I won’t be that person. If I don’t let anyone in, I lose nothing.”   
Hermione looked up at him sadly, “You lose the chance to share your life with someone. You lose the chance at a real family, at growing old with someone. You lose love.”  
“Says the single woman that’s so focused on her job that she doesn’t see it when men vie for her attention,” Blaise huffed as he rolled his eyes.  
Hermione growled in frustration, her fists balling up at her sides. “You are so infuriating!” she snarled as she started walking up the street towards the apparition point. “I’ll have you know that I, unlike some people, haven’t given up on love. I’m just busy.”  
“Yes,” Blaise agreed. “You’re too busy to notice Fred Weasley bringing you lunch when he’s not busy, or that bloke that works in the Magical Menagerie that always tries to talk to you. Not to mention the way men look at you when we’re all out at a pub together.”   
“Well, you certainly seem to notice a lot,” Hermione hissed. “Why don’t you ever point these things out when they’re happening,” she asked as they passed Ollivander’s. She ignored the way Blaise picked up his pace and kept his face turned away from the door. “Maybe if you pointed out all the attention I was getting, I’d have a story to tell on girl’s night instead of listening to all of Ginny’s quidditch conquests. But noooo, you have to save up all of your gathered intel to throw in my face.” She stepped into the apparition wards, Blaise hot on her heels.  
“You’re not getting away that easily,” he muttered as he grabbed her hand. Apparating with her to a spot about a block away from her flat. “You can’t just start an argument and then run away, Granger. You want to scold me about how I treat people and you don’t even know what it is that you want.” She fumbled the keys to her flat as they walked up the few stairs to her building. He picked them up and opened the door holding it open for her. “At least I know what I want. I might not let anyone close, but it’s with good reason. My family has money and power. How do I know who wants me for me and who wants to use me? What’s your excuse for not letting anyone close?”  
As they entered her flat, she moved to her bedroom. Ignoring Blaise, she opened her closet and started rifling through her clothing in frustration. He startled her, suddenly standing next to her. He looked at her things for a moment before pulling out a black pencil skirt and a baggy shirt that said ‘Witch, Please’ that Ginny had gotten her as a gag gift. He shoved the clothing at her and started flipping through her belts. “I don’t deliberately keep people away, Blaise,” she mumbled as she turned her back to him and pulled her dress over her head. “My shop means a lot to me.” She had lost some of her irritation as she pulled the shirt on. She looked in the mirror at the outfit and scrunched her nose. “Tucked or no,” she asked. She had grown used to this behavior from Draco and Pansy, both of them often dressing her when they went out. She assumed it was just a Slytherin thing and didn’t question it because she always looked good.   
“Tuck it in and pull it up and out a little,” he shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but she knew that it did.  
“I worked really hard to get that place up and running. It takes a lot of my focus to keep it going. Parents shouldn’t have to go without so that their children can have school supplies and I like to think that I help with that,” Hermione said to her mirror.  
“You do help with that, Hermione,” Blaise said softly in her ear as he wrapped a wide red belt around her waist. His arms coming around her to do up the buckle. “But who helps you? You can’t be all fire and righteous indignation with me if you’re not putting yourself out there either.” He stepped back and handed her a pair of red pumps that she had forgotten she had. “Leave your hair down and wild. Do you have any red lipstick?”   
“Yea, I think,” she smiled as she thought of Pansy dragging her around London a few weeks ago in search of the perfect shade of red. “Pansy said every woman in her right mind has a red that suits them. I told her she was crazy.”  
“You were both right,” Blaise chuckled, gaining a small laugh from Hermione as well. As she put on a bit of mascara and her red lipstick, she wondered when she had stopped being mad at him. She put the lipstick and her keys into her purse and they headed back out.   
She only lived a few blocks from Harry’s so the walk wouldn’t take long. As the crisp autumn air hit her, she shivered a bit and wished she had thought to bring a sweater. She was suddenly wrapped in warmth as Blaise draped her black shawl over her shoulders. “I thought you might need that, so I grabbed it,” was all he said as they made their way down the quiet street.


	2. Just Talking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all chat before dinner. 
> 
> Seriously still no idea where this is going.

When they arrived at Harry’s, Hermione almost opened the door out of habit, but then stopped to knock. When Blaise looked puzzled, she blushed. “I learned the hard way not to just walk in anymore now that Draco’s moved in.”  
“All the more reason to walk in,” Blaise chuckled, earning a light elbow as Hermione laughed.   
“That’s terrible,” Hermione scolded, but the effect was ruined by her laughter. He only laughed harder when he saw the blush staining her cheeks.  
A moment later Harry opened the door, a warm smile gracing his face as he saw his friends. “Wow, Hermione,” his eyes widened in surprise. “You look great. I mean you always look beautiful, but you look great.”  
“Thank you,” Hermione smiled as she hugged Harry. “Blaise helped me.” Harry took her shawl, hanging it by the door before shaking Blaise’s hand and looking at him suspiciously.  
He raised his hands in mock surrender, “I didn’t sully her reputation so stop looking at me like that.”  
They were all laughing as they entered the sitting room. Draco stood to give Hermione a brief hug. “You look particularly lovely this evening.” He sat beside her when she perched on the edge of the sofa. “I’ve come across some books at the manor that you might be interested in.” Hermione perked up at this. “I was hoping that after dinner we could look through them…”  
“No,” Blaise interrupted. “Absolutely not. We were just discussing the fact that she’s entirely too focused on her work. I propose that after dinner, we go for some dancing to ensure that she doesn’t waste away locked up inside her bookstore all alone with no one but her cat.”  
“Hey,” Hermione protested. “I go out sometimes. I meet Ginny and Luna every other weekend for a girl’s night and I go to a monthly book club. Just because I don’t go out to clubs and dance the night away doesn’t mean that I don't have a life.”  
“When was the last time you went on a date?” Blaise quizzed her. “And you can’t count going to lunch with a seller.” He looked at her sternly, the expression foreign on his face.  
Hermione sputtered for a moment. “I go on dates.” She thought about it for entirely too long before she realised that Blaise had made a valid point. “Alright, so it’s been awhile since I went out on a proper date. But how does going out dancing get me a date?”  
“Hermione, you look hot,” Harry shrugged. “If you go out tonight, you’re almost guaranteed to get a date.”  
“If it gets Harry out of the house,” Draco sighed, “I’m in. He’s turning me into a sheltered old man.”  
“I go places,” Harry muttered indignantly. “I go to lots of places. I just don’t like being asked for my autograph every ten feet.”  
“I would think you’d be used to it by now, mate,” Ron chuckled from the doorway. “You’ve been the famous Harry Potter since we were eleven.”  
“That doesn’t mean that I have to like it,” huffed Harry. He looked around Ron, trying to see Pansy. “Where’s your girlfriend? She had better not be messing with my roast.” He jumped up and ran toward the kitchen. “Pansy? Pansy? Stay out of my kitchen!”  
The remaining quartet looked at each other before laughing out loud. “The last time they were over, she salted his chicken to the point that we couldn’t eat it,” Draco told Hermione and Blaise. “She’s good at so many things. Cooking just isn’t one of them.”  
“No matter how much my mother tries to teach her,” Ron chuckled, shaking his head. He seemed to look at Hermione for the first time. “You look nice. What’s the occasion?”  
She opened her mouth to respond, but Blaise spoke first. “We have a date.” He said simply. She was about to protest when Draco lightly squeezed her knee. Neither of the Slytherins mentioned that it was going to be a group outing and she wondered what they were up to.  
“You two have a date?” Ron scoffed, looking between them. “Why would you want to date Mione?” He realised what he had said and threw his hands up in surrender. “That’s not what I meant. I thought you were into blokes.”  
“I’m into whomever tickles my fancy,” Blaise responded, his tone bored. “We’re all going Weasley. You and Pansy should come along.”   
“Yea, I’m sure she’d like that,” Ron nodded. “I’d better go make sure Harry hasn’t murdered her.”   
As he left, Hermione looked at Blaise and Draco. “Alright, now. What exactly was that all about?”   
Blaise waved his hand dramatically, “I had to see if he’d be jealous over you. I’m sorry to use you as the test subject, but Pansy has been my friend for years and she really likes him.”  
“The Weasel is nice enough and I get on with him now, but if he hurts her, I’ll make him regret it,” Draco said darkly.   
Hermione nodded. She didn’t like being used, but she understood the reasoning and respected them for looking out for their friend.


	3. Dancing Princess?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione meets a nice guy at the club... Or does she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably one of the slowest paced things I've ever written, but I think I finally have a direction in mind... We'll see.

Dinner was a tasty, but uneventful affair. The conversation was led by Pansy, trying to decide where they should go and complaining about her shoes. “If I had known we were going dancing, I would have worn something else,” she whined.   
“You look beautiful,” Ron told her for what felt like the twentieth time. “And after about an hour your shoes will be off anyways, so does it really matter which ones you’re wearing?”  
They left Harry’s together and strolled the short walk to the apparition point. Blaise took Hermione’s hand, slowing her pace so that they were behind the others a bit. “So, what are you looking for this evening?” he asked pleasantly when she looked up at him curiously.  
“What do you mean?” Hermione cocked her head to the side, thinking. “I thought we were dancing. What should I be looking for?”  
Blaise chuckled, “What’s your type? Do you like a taller bloke? Dark hair, light hair? Muscular or lean? What’s your preference?”  
“Oh,” Hermione laughed softly. I don’t really have a preference. It’s more about the connection.”  
“That sounds nice and sweet,” Blaise scoffed, “But everyone has a preference. You can’t honestly tell me that if you had a choice between someone that looks like me or Draco and someone that looks like Slughorn, you wouldn’t be inclined to get to know one of us first?”  
She slapped his arm. “Professor Slughorn is a perfectly nice man. He was always kind to me.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “I know everyone has a type, but my type is more emotional than physical. I want to be with someone that I can talk to. About real things. I need a deeper connection. I need to be myself and not apologise for it and I expect them to feel the same. There’s nothing more intimate than being perfectly comfortable around another person when you are your most secret self.”  
They stepped into the wards of the apparition point, Blaise looking deep in thought. When they reached the other point, Blaise steadied Hermione on her feet and they started walking again. “What do you mean your most secret self?” he asked quietly.  
“Everyone does things when they’re alone that they’d never do in front of anyone else,” Hermione smiled up at him. “So imagine being so comfortable around someone else that you feel comfortable with them seeing that side of you.”  
“Ahh, I see,” he nodded slowly. Smiling at her, he asked, “So, what do you do that no one sees?”  
Hermione laughed as she thought about it. “I use this awful looking, green mud mask. It makes me look like I crawled out of a swamp, but it’s really great for my skin. I like to put it on and eat ice cream while I watch bad television.”  
Blaise laughed with her. “You do have really good skin though so it must be working. Maybe I should try it.”  
“I’ll get an extra bottle and we can have a facial day,” Hermione said as they joined the queue for the club.  
“Did I hear someone say facials?” Pansy asked from ahead of them. She had turned around and was peering over Ron’s shoulder, trying to see Hermione.  
“Yes. You’re more than welcome to join us,” Hermione called over the noise of the crowd. “It could be fun.”   
“I just might do that,” Pansy said as they made their way into the club. Hermione couldn't hear whatever else she said over the music pumping through the space. She could feel the bass thumping in her chest. Pansy quickly found them a table in the corner and was ordering a round of drinks by the time Hermione made it through the crowd.   
Hermione’s protests fell on deaf ears as they talked her into taking a shot before Pansy pulled her onto the dance floor. Pansy held her hand and pulled her close, rolling her body to the music. Hermione laughed and fell into rhythm with her, spinning and undulating to the heavy beat. She lost track of time as she moved to the music, swaying and grooving with the sea of bodies that pressed in around them.   
She was pulled back to her senses when Pansy’s hand left hers. She focused to see Ron pulling Pansy tight against him. Harry and Draco were nearby. She turned to leave the dance floor, when a strong hand wrapped around hers turning her back towards the crowd. She thought it was Blaise for a moment until she turned. He had tanned skin and dark hair. His smile was carefree and joyous. He tugged her hand, pulling her closer to see if she’d dance with him.   
She smiled and nodded her head, dancing close to tall, dark, and handsome. Blaise would definitely rub this in her face. The man said something over the music that she couldn’t quite hear. “I’m sorry, what?” Hermione shouted over the music.  
He mimed drinking from a cup and she nodded her head, moving through the crowd away from the dance floor. As they approached the bar, she could actually hear him when he said, “The name’s Ben. Can I buy you a drink?”  
“Hermione,” she grinned at him. “And yes. You may buy me a drink.” They waited for the bartender ordering quickly when she came over to them.   
Ben kept smiling at Hermione and it was starting to become a little disconcerting. “So, I come here pretty often and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you,” he rambled off quickly. Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but he barreled on not giving her time to respond. “You don’t look like you belong here. You should be sitting on a throne somewhere, Princess and letting someone take care of you.” He crowded into her personal space.   
She stepped back and collided with someone taller than her. “She sits on a throne everyday and I take very good care of her. But even a princess needs a break sometimes,” Blaise’s deep voice rumbled from behind her. He moved to stand beside her and tossed some money on the counter. “Next time you want to pick someone up, make sure they’re alone,” he hissed at Ben.   
“Sorry, friend,” Ben held his hands up, looking up at Blaise. “I meant no harm. I didn’t realize she was spoken for.” He got the two drinks from the bartender and moved away quickly.   
Hermione turned to fully look at Blaise. “Thanks for that,” she breathed out. “He seemed nice at first and then he got weird.”  
“Maybe a club isn’t the best place to get you a date,” Blaise ignored her gratitude and looked around the club. “You’re too…” he rolled his hand around trying to find the right word. “I don’t know. You’re too good for these men. They’re bottom feeders. Just looking for a one night stand. Let’s just have fun with our friends and tomorrow we’ll talk about getting you a date.”  
He stretched his hand out, giving Hermione the option to take it. She wrapped her fingers in his and let him pull her through the crowd, back to the dance floor.


	4. Chapter 4

As she sat working in her little shop, Hermione was extremely thankful that it had been a slow morning. She was also thankful that she hadn’t had too much to drink. Her feet, however, were quite angry with her. Dancing in heels for several hours was not her best idea. Thankfully, she had the luxury of being able to work while sitting down. 

When the bell above her door chimed, she looked up from the book she was cleaning. Blaise strolled in, looking only slightly miserable. “Remind me in the future that I work early and being out late during the week is a bad idea,” he muttered as he flopped into the chair next to Hermione’s. 

Hermione snickered at his dramatics, “You don’t open until eleven. That’s not considered working early.” 

He scowled at her. Picking up the duster from the counter, he tossed it at her head. “I go in before that to work on any orders. I like to stay ahead so that if I get a big order, it’s not a problem.” He stretched his long legs out, “I like to be the best and that means going in early and sometimes working late. I’ve just finished a custom order for the minister and my team is already working on school robes. I’ve found that it’s more cost effective to make certain sizes and then just do the alterations. Madame Malkin was actually doing each set of robes to order. Can you imagine?” 

“That does seem tedious,” Hermione agreed. “She only had one assistant. How did she manage to keep up with all of it?”

“I have no idea,” Blaise shivered. “I have six and I might hire more. But I’ve also extended the inventory. I’m considering bringing in a Muggle that Pansy knows. She’s married to a witch so she already knows about us and she makes the most amazing suits. High quality material, perfect fit…” His voice trailed off as he thought about high quality clothing.   
Hermione laughed softly, shaking her head. The silence between them expanded and she went back to cleaning her book. Blaise didn’t seem to mind as he picked up a random book and started leafing through it. “So, is there any particular reason that you decided to grace me with your presence today?” Hermione asked when it became obvious that he wasn’t going to say anything else. 

“Pansy’s reorganizing the supply closet and she kicked me out,” he shrugged. I didn’t feel like going home yet, so I came to visit you.”

“How lucky for me,” Hermione laughed. Blaise grinned at her and went back to the book. Hermione shook her head and went back to work. 

The binding of the book she was cleaning required patience and a delicate touch. She was so focused on her task that she startled when the bell chimed. For a moment, she thought it was Blaise leaving. Looking up, she saw him still in his chair and scowling at the door. Fred Weasley walked in, carrying a bag that smelled heavenly. He appeared to be momentarily surprised to see Blaise. Recovering quickly, he approached the counter. 

“I’ve brought you some lunch,” he said cheerily. “I know you sometimes forget if you’re busy.” He set the bag on the counter. “I didn’t know that you had company though so I don’t know if there’s enough.” He shot a sharp look over to Blaise before smiling at Hermione.

“Don’t worry about me,” Blaise huffed as he stood. He somehow managed to look down his nose at Fred even though they were practically the same height. “I have to make sure Pansy eats or she’ll bite the assistants.” Hermione snorted, gaining a smile from Blaise. “I’ll be back later to walk you home. We still have things to discuss.” He strode from the shop, his absence leaving an empty feeling that Hermione couldn’t quite name. 

“I didn’t know you two were friendly,” Fred commented, his tone sounding slightly suspicious. 

“His two best friends are dating my two best friends so we actually see each other quite a bit.” Hermione looked curiously at Fred. He wasn’t usually one to pry. 

He started pulling containers out of the bag. “Just be careful around him, yea?” He looked in her eyes. “He likes to play around a lot and I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

“I’m not some starry-eyed teenager, Fred,” Hermione huffed. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have been for quite awhile now and I do just fine, thank you.” 

They ate their lunch in an awkward silence. Fred usually made her laugh or they talked, but she didn’t particularly feel like talking to him at the moment. She didn’t need to be protected by an older brother. Especially not from Blaise. He had never even asked her out. 

As Fred headed to the door, he stopped and looked at Hermione. “Listen,” he started, “I don’t want to leave like this. It feels wrong. I wasn’t trying to be an ass. I just didn’t want to see you be used and tossed aside the way he’s done so many other people. You deserve better than that.”

Hermione rounded the counter to hug Fred. “I appreciate your concern. I do. But I can take care of myself. Blaise and I are just friends. And barely that. I think he mostly likes to annoy me. Thank you for looking out for me, but I don’t need an older brother to protect me. I need a friend to support me.”

Fred stepped back from the hug. “An older brother,” he chuckled humorlessly. “You see me as an older brother?” He turned abruptly and left before Hermione could say anything else.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thai Food and Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's not very long. I'm trying to make myself write again.

Hermione was confused as she went back to cleaning her book. The look of hurt in Fred’s eyes bothered her, but she didn’t understand why he would feel that way. Unless Blaise had been right and Fred fancied her. No, that couldn’t be it. That definitely couldn’t be it. Maybe she should ask Ginny. She would know. 

Five minutes before she was scheduled to close, Blaise came in with a flourish of his cloak. Hermione shook her head, but still laughed softly. “Must you be so dramatic in everything that you do?” 

Blaise gasped and held a hand over his heart, “You wound me, woman. I’m not dramatic.” He cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. “My actions are just thought out.” He watched as she pulled the cash drawer and stowed it in her safe. “Are you ready yet? I”m positively famished. I was hoping that you’d be in the mood for something spicy.”

“I hadn’t realised that walking me home included dinner,” Hermione rolled her eyes while trying to repress a giggle. “I could go for some spicy food,” she shrugged. “There’s a great Thai place around the corner from my flat.”

“Excellent,” Blaise grinned. Even Hermione had to admit that he was damned handsome when he smiled like that. They stepped outside and Hermione went through her routine of locking up. The silence between them was amicable as they walked through Diagon Alley towards the apparition point. Blaise took Hermione’s hand as they passed through the ward and didn’t let go when they landed at the other point. Hermione gave his warm hand a squeeze and led him to the restaurant. 

They ordered entirely too much food and sat on the floor at Hermione’s coffee table to eat. “Have you given any more thought to the type of bloke’s you're looking to date?” Blaise asked between bites, his eyes watering as he ate. 

Hermione shrugged as she dug through her noodles. “I told you,” she spoke when her mouth was empty, “I don’t particularly have a type.”

Blaise swept his thumb across her chin, catching sauce that she had missed. “Close your eyes,” he ordered. She rolled her eyes before doing as he asked. “Now picture your perfect guy in your mind. Start with the emotional if you need to, but I need to know what to look for so that we have a starting place.”

She sighed dramatically, “I’ve already told you. Someone I’m comfortable with.” She thought for a moment about the few relationships and dates she’d had. Ron had only paid attention to her when he thought someone else wanted her. She was never his first choice. “I suppose I want to feel like I matter. Like I’m important. I want to be with someone that cares for me as much as I care for them.” She looked at Blaise and he seemed to be genuinely listening so she continued with her eyes open. “I suppose I want something like I had with Viktor, but a bit different. He paid attention to me, listened when I talked. We would just sit together and he would watch me read. But I want someone that can challenge me mentally. I like to talk and debate and laugh.” Her voice trailed off as she thought about this mystery man.

Blaise shook his head. “Of course you’re not going to make this easy for me,” he huffed out a laugh. “I asked Pansy what she wanted. She said a tall pureblood that could make her laugh. Easy peasy she’s with Weasley.” He laughed at his own joke. “You, my dear, are a complicated woman with a lot of depth.”

**Author's Note:**

> A very large thank you to Envyskitty. You helped me settle my brain so that I could actually write today. Thank you for helping me gather my scattered thoughts.


End file.
